1 Month Bandiversary!

One month ago I did not really know what to expect from Lap-Band Surgery. I was not worried but I was not fully convinced neither. My main fear was that I will invite something bad into my life by engaging in surgery by choice.

Today I am most of all grateful that my surgery went well, that I did not have any complications and that my incisions healed very well. I am also happy that I had all the pre-surgery tests done because I have avoided physicals for a couple of years, mainly because of my weight and it was easier for me to live in denial than to face the fact that I was morbidly obese (and still am). It lifted a huge weight off my shoulders and I am happy that my blood tests were better than I thought, EKG turned out good and the heart echo, that I had never done before, did not show any abnormalities.

In June I also had an appointment with an ob/gyn, which I have avoided for approximately 4 years because just the idea of getting naked in front of a stranger made me panic but in order to take charge of my health I woke up one morning and knew that day was the day to schedule an appointment and I did it and when the results came back I felt a huge relief.

I am also very grateful that I have found great Doctors along the way... I never had a gynecologist that sensed how uncomfortable I was and made the check up so positive that I could completely relax and wanted to give him a HUGE hug afterward (but did not). My Lap-Band surgeon is the best Doctor I have ever had, I truly love him and I am forever grateful that he is the way he is and that I have found him. Through him I was referred to my new general physician that performed all my pre-surgery tests and I also like him a lot.

What I like most about them is the fact that they are practicing medicine because it is their calling, that they genuinely care about their patients health and are sensitive enough to understand the fears of an overweight person and just take your hand and lead you through the storm. I never had to express my fears, they sensed them. So for me a great Doctor is not only someone that studied hard and graduated with excellent grades from the finest Universities, but is also human enough to relate to patients emotions and fears and most of all never judges them.

On my 1 Month Bandaversary the biggest accomplishment is the fact that I have taken charge of my health and faced my fears head on. My decision for having a Lap-Band was more a health decision than anything else. I am very happy, thankful, grateful and relieved that I have taken this step and there is not an iota of regret in me.

Of course I am also happy that I have lost 21 pounds, that I can visually see the weight coming off, that I am not hungry, that Your Highness (my band) really knows how to control me, that I am more active and have some kind of a balance in my life. I am also happy that I learned not to obsess over the scale or fills, accepted that my weight loss will be a gradual process and that I will have to do my part in order to lose weight.

Last but not least I am also happy that I have met all of you and that we have each other for support and that we take part in each others journeys. Thank you to all of you for just being there and supporting me with your comments, answers and input. They really mean a lot to me.  I love you guys!